Chapter 7

I stood in the mirror of my restroom, reminding myself that I "loathed" Bailey. It would all be easier if I just hid those feelings for her and from my brother. I walked out paler than usual, and I guessed Woody had noticed. "Whoa dude, are you feeling okay?" He asked curiously. I grabbed my bag and nodded. I was afraid to tell Woody about my feelings for Bailey. I couldn't take that chance of him spilling the beans to my brother.

"Okay man, if you need something let me know." He continued. I nodded heading to class. I decided to take a short cut across the sky deck when I heard Zack yelling my name. "Yo Cody." I stopped waiting for him to catch up. He had this huge smile on his face. Something must have happened between him and Bailey.

"So, the dance is two days away and I have the perfect plan. I am picking Bailey up, and then I will make sure she looks good on my arm. I wouldn't want to look like a loser. When we get onto the deck here I will sit her down, from there I am making my way to the fiesta deck to pick up Stacy. She is a new girl and we kind of have something going on, but keep that on the DL." Zack whispered.

I huffed in his face. How could he treat Bailey like that? Cheat on her with some new chick. I thought it might be best to keep in my real thoughts. "Yea sounds…great. I am sure you won't be portrayed as a fool though with Bailey on your arm. She is gorgeous." I spat out, not paying attention to the last sentence. I prayed Zack wouldn't think of it the wrong way.

"Yea dude, you're right she is gorgeous. That's exactly why I'm using her as eye candy. She's just what I need to make myself look good. Well I'll see you in class brother." I let out a breath. Last thing I needed was for Zack to be on my tail about his girl. I dreaded going to class. Looking at Bailey would make me nervous, let alone talking to her. Knowing how and what my brother had planned made me sick. I wish I could tell her, I should, but I won't.

Bailey was sitting the same place she had sat the day before, next to me. I walked in with a fake smile across my face, hoping I wasn't shallow enough for other's to see right through me. Bailey looked at me with weary eyes, could she tell I wasn't happy. Bailey understood me though, she knew how to make me smile, how to…make all the horrible things disappear from life. "Hi Cody, I really appreciate you helping me with my paper. I am turning it in now." She started to get up.

"Here, let me take it for you." I held out my hand. I was a gentleman and that is what I would always be. Especially to the one girl I had admired the most in my entire life. I couldn't hide that from myself any longer. I loved Bailey and I always would I felt. I took her paper to the front as she watched me with a ginger smile. I sat back down in my seat getting my things ready for class.

"Cody, are you going to the dance?" She asked spontaneously. I dropped my pencil upon hearing this. Why would she ask me such thing? She knew I had no date, no interest in any girl. Well I had interest in a girl, but only one and that was her. I shook my head as I grabbed my pencil from the floor. "Well why not, any girl would be lucky to go with you." She continued. The way she bit her lip was so irritating. In a good way of course, so…sexy I guess.

"Umm, because I don't have a date and dancing is really not my thing." I replied. She stared at me in this awkward way, as if she knew I was lying. She seemed to know me a little too well. I tuned in to Zack talking outside of the classroom door, right before the bell.

"I'll see you then babe." I heard him say. No one else seemed to notice though. I gritted my teeth and sank down in my seat. Zack walked by with smile, but I shrugged it off glaring at him. He shrugged his shoulders. He took the seat open next to me. Zack was sitting in the front of the room, no way.

"What's your problem?" he asked warily. I ignored him with an angry look upon my face. It agitated me knowing how Bailey was being treated. Did she really want a man like him? "Cody, did I upset you?" I just kept staring toward the chalkboard. "Oh come on dude, I'm sure whatever it is you'll get over it." That's it I was done.

"Get Over it, is that what you expect me to do in everything? No, I won't get over this, because you know what you're doing and you know that is unacceptable. It's wrong what you are doing to her and you know that, but you obviously don't really seem to give a care about that now do you? She deserves so much more, so much better, and you don't meet those standards." I stood from my desk in fury. Zack stood up facing me.

"So what are you saying then? You can treat her better than I and give her better things than I can. That girl is too gorgeous for you. You'll never find or have someone like that. Then again maybe you two are perfect for one another. I don't know let's ask her." He pushed me away and walked to Bailey. "Bailey do you think Cody could treat you better than I could. Tell him you'd never date a loser like him. Go on, tell him."

I waited for Bailey's response. She stared at me horrified at what was going on. I don't think she expected me to cause a scene in that way, but it had to be done. Bailey just sat there not sure what to say. I grabbed my things and stormed out of the classroom. Zack was right; I didn't deserve someone like Bailey. I was right too though; Bailey didn't deserve someone like Zack.